09-26-2024, 08:45 AM
https://www.yahoo.com/news/orb-n-aide-fa...48569.html
The aide simply expressed what lots of people in Hungary actually believe. They believe Ukraine's attempts to defend themselves are simply futile. As the aide said, Hungary would be in the same position. The backlash from the Hungarian population against this concept while undoubtedly a majority view is not at all universal. The aide of course tried to walk it back, but he actually said what he believed. It just wasn't politically acceptable.
One would hope that such a statement would result in the immediate removal of the aide and quite probably the fall of the government. The former might happen but very probably will not. The latter certainly will not. It is important to remember that Hungary as a NATO member would not be fighting alone unlike Ukraine. The 1956 uprising wasn't simply a patriotic outburst but equally (or more so) an opposition to what Russia was doing to Hungary, physically, economically and intellectually. The concept that there are a large minority of people in Hungary that are not cognizant of that is absolutely amazing. But it is a fact. Many Hungarians also believe that Hungary is somehow a victim in the EU and would be better off aligning themselves with Russia. Unfortunately that group is even larger and is what keeps Orbán and his henchmen in power. Similar groups (of greatly varying sizes) exist to at least some degree in all former Warsaw pact countries. It is a mistake to ignore them. If the US maintains some aid to Ukraine but Ukraine eventually folds, these groups will have an very strong case to present to their populations. Resistance is indeed futile. If the US abandons Ukraine that case becomes irrefutable. For better or worse, the US has lots of "skin in the game". I am not at all reassured that the public at large understands this and the probable consequences of failure.
The aide simply expressed what lots of people in Hungary actually believe. They believe Ukraine's attempts to defend themselves are simply futile. As the aide said, Hungary would be in the same position. The backlash from the Hungarian population against this concept while undoubtedly a majority view is not at all universal. The aide of course tried to walk it back, but he actually said what he believed. It just wasn't politically acceptable.
One would hope that such a statement would result in the immediate removal of the aide and quite probably the fall of the government. The former might happen but very probably will not. The latter certainly will not. It is important to remember that Hungary as a NATO member would not be fighting alone unlike Ukraine. The 1956 uprising wasn't simply a patriotic outburst but equally (or more so) an opposition to what Russia was doing to Hungary, physically, economically and intellectually. The concept that there are a large minority of people in Hungary that are not cognizant of that is absolutely amazing. But it is a fact. Many Hungarians also believe that Hungary is somehow a victim in the EU and would be better off aligning themselves with Russia. Unfortunately that group is even larger and is what keeps Orbán and his henchmen in power. Similar groups (of greatly varying sizes) exist to at least some degree in all former Warsaw pact countries. It is a mistake to ignore them. If the US maintains some aid to Ukraine but Ukraine eventually folds, these groups will have an very strong case to present to their populations. Resistance is indeed futile. If the US abandons Ukraine that case becomes irrefutable. For better or worse, the US has lots of "skin in the game". I am not at all reassured that the public at large understands this and the probable consequences of failure.